MP Calls For 2km Zone Around Wind Farm

A photomontage from Niagara Road looking west, taken from AGL's Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment

August 3, 2012

Member for Condamine Ray Hopper has called for a 2km exclusion zone around the proposed Coopers Gap wind farm.

Addressing State Parliament yesterday afternoon, Mr Hopper said he did not believe most people in the district were opposed to the project, however “they want it done properly”.

“That is the feeling I am getting from those who I have met. We need to take a serious look at what is about to happen,” Mr Hopper said.

“In other States there is a 2km policy in place. We need the Minister for Health and the Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection to have a look at this.

“Both Ministers have people in their department who are very well learned on this proposal I am talking about.

“AGL has other wind farms. These wind farms have been built and problems have occurred. There is a farmer who lives 1.6km from a smaller turbine farm and the result is that the turbines have had to be shut down because they are above the noise compliance in that State.

“This is something we really have to look at. This has to be done right.

“Oaklands Hill has had nine turbines shut down every night due to noise. I would hate to see this go ahead and then be shut down.

“We need to seriously look at a 2km policy being put in place.”

Mr Hopper said this would line up with Victoria which as a 2km policy in place; NSW has a draft 2km policy and the Liberal Party in South Australia has promised to put a 2km policy in place if they win government.

“We need to have a very serious look at this project,” Mr Hopper said.

“I know a fair bit about this area. My children were the fourth generation to go to the Cooranga North school. I lived in that district all my life. There were times when I had to put pump jacks on my windmills for a period of three or four weeks because there was simply no wind.

“We have to have a serious look at this project.

“The people of that community are not against the project, they just want it done well. We as a government have to make sure that it works.”